Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Ninety-seventh Week - May 30, 2016

Buenas.

What's up ladies?  This week was super crazy.  Good in lots of ways and super frustrating in lots of ways.  But hey, it's important that there is an opposition in all things right? 
But good news, my convert Gustina from La Borgoña (my second area) just went to the temple.  So awesome!  So proud of her.  I still remember the first day that I contacted her.  I wasn't even contacting.  It was my first day in the area and I was looking for my lunch cita and the Lord put her in my camino.  She was a person that was very ready to have the gospel.  So awesome to see how the Lord works.

But this week we ended up baptizing three.

Yesica, we married her on Wednesday and then baptized her on Saturday.  She is super awesome and was put into our path.  On April 23rd at around 8:30 pm, my companion and I went all day trying to commit people to come to church, but no one wanted to go.  It was a rough day, and out of nowhere I saw a lady with three little kids walking on a super dark street.  I felt prompted to go and help her.  So I decided to go and turn my flashlight on and help her to where she needed to go.  Ever since that moment, she went to church with us, and this past week she got married and we baptized her.  Once again, the Lord put someone in the path for us.






Jose y Julissa, they are a young couple.  They are both 19.  They just had a baby one month ago.  They are super cool.  It was a long process to baptize them because Julissa was never inscribed in Nicaragua, so basically she didn't even exist.  So we had to get a lawyer and do a big process to make her exist.  This past week, they got married and baptized. 



Disapointments this week:

Mislady, Nohelia, Brenda y Anielka were also supposed to get baptized this past week. They were all ready until Thursday... They just couldn't take the mocking from their neighbors and family.  It's sad to see here all of the mocking and everything.  Makes it really hard for people.  But the right path is never the easiest.  Shows that they don't have a testimony yet. We are still working with them, hoping they don't fall.

Thursday, Elder Hironaka came and we went and visited all the possibilities for the week.  It was good.  A few frustrations, but it was good.

Today, my companion and I went to President's house for a BBQ.  The most successful Zone and the best baptizers from each Zone went.  Our Zone didn't win, but my companion and I baptized the most in our Zone this month.  It was fun.

(Elder Solis and Elder Copeland at the BBQ)
(Elder Jungers and Elder Copeland)

On Wednesday we have changes.  I'm not sure if they are going to change me for my last two weeks or not..  I hope not, but we find out tomorrow.  On Thursday,  Elder Merrill leaves.  Can't believe it.  We are best friends. 

"God's timing doesn't have to make sense, but it is still perfect.  Trust Him beyond your own understanding!"

Love you all, Have a good summer week.

Elder Copeland

Monday, May 23, 2016

Ninety-sixth Week - May 23, 2016

Hey, its me. 

Still hasn't hit me at all, but I can't believe that I am coming home in three weeks.  So crazy. This week was a super good week.  We had four baptisms in our area.  




We baptized:

Betania; she is the super short one with her mom in the picture.  Her mom was going to get baptized with her, but she has some doubts.  We are working for this week.  But Betania is 17 and super awesome.  She invited some friends to her baptism; they all made fun of her for going to the "Mormon Church," but she said that going to church and reading the Book of Mormon makes her feel good so she didn't care what they said to her.

Jessica; she is the other teenager and is 15.  She goes to seminary and everything; she is super awesome.

Rosa; she is 45.  She looks like shes a lot older.  She used to have a really rough life.  Her family doesn't even talk to her.  She can barley even walk.  We baptized her in a chair.

Rosalia; she is 75.  She can't walk at all.  A couple years ago she fell into a ditch and is basically paralyzed from the waist down, and she still has a broken wrist.  As you can see in the pic, her hand should be the other way.  It's just dangling there.  We also baptized her in a chair.

On Thursday, we had consejo at President's house.  It was my last time going.  It was a good time.  We got to eat SubWay, soo good.  After that we went around the Zone visiting all of the possibilities.




Saturday we had our baptisms, and Sunday we did the normal:  Leave the house super early and go look for all our investigators.

This week we are marrying a couple but only the wife is getting baptized.  I had to do a bunch of stuff for them this past week.  I had to go to Managua to get both of their birth certificates taken out, and we had to get her a new cedula  because hers got stolen and now I have to pay for their marriage haha.  So sorry, Mom and Dad, but that's why I took some money out.

We could have a super super successful week in our area.  Please pray for the following:
Yesica, Maritza, Mislady, Anielka, Brenda, Nohelia, Jose y Julissa.

Yesica is the lady that is getting married.
Maritza is the mom of Betania.
Mislady is the mom of Anielka.  Brenda y Nohelia are her sisters.  They all really want to do it but are having some problems with coffee.  Mislady is trying to kick her partner out of the house so that she can get baptized.  They are super awesome.  Please pray for them!!
Jose y Julissa - we need to marry them, also...

We have lots of work to go.  I love you guys.  Cant wait to see you all soon.

Have a great week.

Elder Copeland

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Ninety-fifth Week - May 16, 2016


Buenas!



We had a pretty good week in our area.  We have the possibility of having six baptisms in our area this coming Saturday. But we need miracles.


-Rosa, she can't really walk, she is 45 has 3 kids and they don't even come to see her.  She lives in a little metal shack and has absolutely nothing, but is one of the most humble people that I have ever met.  Yesterday in church, we gave her a blessing and she said she hasn't had physical strength like that in 15 years. cJust watching her try to walk hurts. cWhen we bring her to church, we bring a member that has a car and bring it all the way to her gate and we bring a chair and have her sit down on it.  Then we pick her up in the chair and carry her to the car.  It's a special experience.  But anyways, she will be getting baptized this week.  Pray for her.


-Maritza y Betania.  It's a mom and her 17 year old daughter.  Maritza works as a nurse and is super awesome.  About one month ago, her husband left her.  She really wants to do it but is kinda struggling with café.  Her daughter, Betania, is super awesome and there aren't any problems with her.  She's kinda shy.


-Rosalia, she's 74 and can't walk at all.  Super funny lady. 


-José y Julissa.  They are a young couple.  They need to get married, but Julissa isn't inscribed in Nicaragua, so right now we are working on getting her birth certificate and Cedula and all that stuff so that they can get married.  She also just had a baby like a month ago.


Pray for all of them, please.  We need help to get them baptized this week!!



This week we also had interviews with President that went well.  Elder Heileson and I left the area everyday this past week to go and help with all the possibilities around the Zone.  It was super frustrating seeing some of the decisions that some people make, but I'm just staying positive and working hard.




"When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives."



Elder Copeland



P.S.  This picture is of me right now.  We are in the internet cyber and its soooooooooo freaking hot.  It's 100% pure sweat...


Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Ninety-fourth Week - May 9, 2016

What's up, guys? 

Just a quick letter today since we just talked yesterday, but it was awesome talking to you guys.


 I cant believe how much you're all changing.  But I hope you had a great Mothers' Day, Mom.  You're the best, I love you.  Crazy to think that the next time we see each other will be in the Salt Lake International Airport:)  Good to hear that Grandpa's surgery went well!!! 

Well, this week we married and baptized José.  It was super awesome.  He is really cool.  The Lord prepares his children, we just have to find them.








But sorry, not writing more today.  I hope you like the pictures.

"You can be wise and happy or stupid and miserable.  The choice is yours"

Elder Copeland

Monday, May 2, 2016

Ninety-third Week - May 2, 2016


Well, like always, there goes another week. 

Trying to take advantage of the time.  This week was a good week, found a bunch of new people.  We are working super hard right now, trying to load up our vision before I leave, trying to pull out all the baptisms possible.  This week it rained like five times, first time in like seven months.  And because the rain is starting, it has been sooooo humid!!!  I honestly have never sweat so bad in my life!  But its all part of the experience:) 

Also, Happy Birthday Hannah.   Youre such an awesome little sister.  I can't believe that you're a teenager!  I love you so much, have a great day.

This week, Elder Heileson and I spent a lot of time out of the area again, doing interviews and animating people for their baptisms.  
 (Elder Heileson and Elder Copeland.)

I love these people so much, but it is so hard to see some of the decisions that they make, breaks my heart.  We live in an evil world with so much bad influence, but also with a lot of incredible influences.  We just need to look for them.  But I will promise you one thing.  It's a lot easier to find that good influence in Utah than Nicaragua.  Beyond lucky to have parents and a family like mine; faithful, supportive, happy, successful, loving and the list goes on. 

This week I tried to write in my journal again.  First time in like 8 months.  I just honestly have no time to do it.  I was reading through it, my first half of my mission wasn't great, but the second half has been absolutely amazing.  I have loved it so much!

Thursday we had consejo at President's house.  It was super good.  It's the last five-week month.  President made an incentive:   The best zone in May is going to Volcán Mombacho and will hike to the top and have a BBQ.  So were going to do all we can do to win cause i wanna go!  Later that night, Heileson and I went and visited a couple possibilities around the Zone.  For the most part it was good, but also a couple disappointments that were frustrating. 

(At La UCA with some missionaries after consejo.)
 
Friday was the Zone Meeting.

Saturday, we went all day to recommit everyone to church.  At night time, we invited some members over to the house of Jose.  We tried convincing his partner to get married to him so that he can get baptized.  It was alright.

Sunday I brought seven investigators to church.  Four of them were new investigators.  I have Jose.  Last night we ended up convincing his partner to get married to him, so now I'm just getting everything set up with the lawyer.  He will be getting baptized this Saturday! Super cool.  I also have Maritza who is 44 and her 17 year old daughter Betania. T hey are super awesome.  Their baptism date is for the 21st of May.  Maritza's husband left her this past week after 20 years, sad.  But she is super positive.  She is a nurse.  She worked all night Saturday and got home at 9 am Sunday morning and still went to church.  Pray for her that she will have the strength to keep coming and the courage to get baptized.  Then I have a couple other people that came.  We will see what happens with them this week.

 
 (Maritza and her daughter Betania, Elder Copeland, and his companion, Elder Solis.)

"Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness."

Elder Copeland